Overview
Halfway up Sydney's northern beaches you'll find a veritable Aladdin's cave of hidden goodies in Mona Vale — an idyllic seaside town where keen shoppers can find plenty of cool and unusual treats. The suburb is larger than most on the peninsula, with an enormous double beach and a bustling town centre. The latter is made up of locally run small businesses, selling everything from beautiful coastal homewares to delicious cakes.
The beach attracts water seekers from young families to surfers, thanks to the south end's shallow waters and the north end's big waves. To help you navigate all of Mona Vale's many options to shop, eat and drink, we've teamed up with American Express and pulled together eight places to get you shopping like a local. You can shop at all of these community-minded businesses with your American Express Card, so you can go from strolling along the beach to sampling the wares without any hassle.
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Positioned less than a 100 metres from Mona Vale beach, Armchair Collective is a local favourite for its quirky style and the seamless way it blends eating, drinking and shopping. The cafe’s menu honours simple, honest dishes that make it a perfect place to sink into one of its namesake armchairs for brekkie and a cup of Single O coffee, lunch and vinos, or tea and cake. Meanwhile, the back of the space is full to the brim with collectable art, books, furniture and homewares that will easily give your sanctuary from the world some stylish coastal vibes.
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Fittingly located on Waratah Street in the centre of Mona Vale, Aqua Rosa’s beautiful flower arrangements are sure to brighten up your day. Choose between native bouquets of banksias, bottlebrushes and dried eucalyptus or opt for pretty pink posies and elegant orchids. There are plenty of cute knick-knacks for gifts, too.
The friendly staff are on hand to help pick out the perfect florals and to put together an arrangement that could be mistaken for an art installation.
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For an easy and relaxed beachside spot for a glass of wine, this Mediterranean-inspired small bar has you covered. After a day wandering around Mona Vale’s shops, Paddock & Vine is a good place to reflect on this lovely suburb you get to live in — or start researching rentals. Choose from share plates such as saffron and cheese arancini, chorizo and chimichurri, duck pate and sourdough or summer favourite salt and pepper squid. Or go for something bigger, with main dishes like steak, pork loin, lamb shanks, or house-made gnocchi. The hero of the menu is the Australian wine list — ask your server for their favourites.